Friday Chat Day

Hello friends

Have you all melted?

We've had some seriously high temperatures and I am so glad the

cooler weather has arrived.  I don't mind admitting I'm grumpy when it 

is that hot and stay indoors in a darkened room! 

The heatwave did enable me to finish my Mustard Throw project.

It turned out to be knitting instead of crochet but I'm really pleased with it.

  

It is a Mock Cable pattern and available free on the Hobbycraft blog.

It will be going to its new home over the weekend.

I did wonder whether pom poms would look good on the corners?

In other news we celebrated Elliott's birthday.

It was a 3 day event - he knows how to milk it! 

Trip to London, Lakeside and out for a meal.

Here he is with a cake and being photo bombed by Mitchell!

He is rather grown up now, all those growth injections worked!

I took Elliott for an Italian meal in Gravesend High Street,

just along from where the Hope and Chances' shop used to be.

It's that white one in the picture and now a nail salon.

I did take a peek in the window which is the first time since I left.

I realised I had deliberately been avoiding that part of town because

I was sad to see how much my little shop had changed.

But on that evening I was fine, I feel enough time has passed for me 

not to dwell on what used to be and instead focus on now.

         

Always so pleased to see they still have the bunting.

At the very bottom of the High Street is the River Thames

and the ferry that takes you across to Tilbury in Essex.

So what else is happening?

Mum is finally managing to eat a little bit more and managing to get 

out and about.

I've been having a bit of a Summer Clean (as opposed to Spring Clean)

indoors and getting around to various jobs including those 

I've been putting off for a long time - cleaning the conservatory! 

I have also discovered the benefits of Freecycle and have

found homes for many items that we did not need but just too

good to throw away.

Website news - still lots of items in the pre-loved and clearance.

Feel free to take a peek and keep popping back as more are uploaded

daily (although the times are a little erratic). 

This weekend will see many items added - I promise!

Take care friends, hope you have a lovely weekend.

Thank you for stopping by.

Friday Chat Day

Hello friends

How has your week been?

I'm beginning to notice the shorter evenings but feeling 

quite lucky with the recent sunshine. It has been perfect 

Bella-walking weather.

This week Bella got to meet my sister's rescue dog 

and we were so wrapped up in walking and chatting that 

I didn't get a photo - got one of the sky and trees though! 

Also this week some craft! 

My post for Scrapbook Adhesives went live and it featured tags.

In case you missed it and fancy a look, the link is here.

Last weekend I got to spend the day in London with friends and we

went to Hamilton, the musical.

I did wonder beforehand whether it would be my cup of tea as 

it is sung and rapped through incorporating hip hop.

Now I'm a girl that likes classical, a bit of rock and country music so

this was definitely out of my comfort zone.

But...it was fabulous!  I was blown away by it.

It is both enthralling,emotional and utterly brilliant. 

I found myself humming and singing 

the songs days afterwards (with odd looks from the boys).

I would recommend it for sure.

Knitting/crochet - still loving my new found hobby.

Lots of progress on the mustard throw project.

I took this photo outside one evening and the light really captured

its mustard-ness!

This should be finished over the weekend and then I'm thinking of trying

this pattern in grey aran yarn.

Work stuff...

lots of offers and pre-loved still on the website, 

I'm uploading items each day. Yes, all on my own...those boys 

have deserted me! Well, to be fair they are both working full time so 

I can't really complain :) 

I'm slowly getting through the cabin and sorting items

but I have to confess that I am enjoying the Summer and 

will step things up in the Autumn.

There is a Bank Holiday offer on Glimmer items, 20% off -

just enter the code GLIMMER20 at checkout,

expires midnight Monday. 

This weekend is Elliott's birthday so some celebrations going on,

he is going to be 23 - I am struggling to get my head around that.

Here is is posting the very first charity kits back in 2013.

For those of you who have followed my blog for years you will have 

 know the struggles he has been through.

I am incredibly proud of him and especially now watching him

head out the door each day to work, I pinch myself that it is real.

Have a wonderful Bank Holiday weekend and 

I hope you can stop by next Friday.

Take care friends.

A middle of the week post!

Hello friends

Just stopping by to let you know my project for Scrapbook

Adhesives by 3L has just gone up on their blog here.

It's a tag collection (been a while since I made tags).

If you have a moment to pop over to their blog 

and take a look at the tutorial 

(and leave a comment - pretty please!)

 I would be very grateful.

In between, enjoy your week and look forward 

to chatting on Friday.

Take care friends.

Friday Chat Day

Hello friends

It's Friday and it's another chat day.

I knew you would all understand last week's excitement at having
new interior doors fitted, it funny what makes our lives pleasant.
(Hazel - I also appreciate the thrill of visiting the tip and
getting rid of lots of stuff!)   

Talking of things that make life pleasant, each day
I afford myself little treats, not always the edible kind,
sitting down with a coffee and viewing my favourite
YouTube videos or accounts on Facebook/Instagram.
I've decided to share the love this Friday with my go-to list: 

1bike1world on Instagram

Dean and his rescue cat Nala on a bike exploring the world.
He has a lot of followers and I was over the moon to get a mention this week,
well it was Bella really but close enough!)

Moss the Dartmoor Dog on Facebook

The adventures of Moss, a German Wirehaired Pointer living on Dartmoor.

Instahomegb on Instagram

New home with a Goldendoodle puppy.

A Chick Called Albert on YouTube

It all started with Albert, a sweet little quail that hatched from an egg

bought in the supermarket.

Bit of an animal theme I know! 

So if any of these take your fancy, let me know what you think.

Calligraphy update - I've been practising.

Unfortunately I never did shorthand (Lesley asked last week),

that would have been handy for learning the thick/thin strokes.

Instead I learned to type on a manual typewriter at school with a teacher

who hit our fingers with a ruler if we dared look down - 

sounds Victorian now!

This is one of my worksheets, I keep thinking that 

changing pen colour may help!  

Exciting news...

starting 1 September is a workbook challenge - Better Brush Letters 

by Blink Lettering. 

This is a follow up course to Better Brush Drills and takes you through

uppercase and lowercase letters.

As an Ambassador and I can offer you a 10% discount code when purchasing

this course - please click here 

It will take you the Etsy shop with 10% discount automatically applied.

You can start the workshop early or join in with everyone on 1 September.

I personally work so much better when taking part in a group ,

 it definitely prompts me and a lot more fun, hope you can join me.

Family news:

My Mum is out of hospital, still quite poorly and needs to gain weight 

but lovely that she is back home.

It was my Dad's birthday last weekend which was a day of food. 

Starting with cooked breakfast and then Chinese takeaway and birthday cake.

Here's the man himself looking very happy.

And finally a sneak peek of a Scrapbook Adhesives project that

will be on their blog on Monday. I'll be sharing it on social media

and hope you can stop by.

Oh yes...also over on the website, keep checking those pre-loved,

they are uploaded daily.

This weekend I am going to the theatre to see Hamilton.

Special friends are treating me as an early birthday present -

(very early as my birthday is in November!)

I've heard some wonderful reviews, let me know if you have seen it.

Take care friends, have a wonderful weekend and I hope you can join

me for a chat again next week.

Friday Chat Day

Hello friends

Happy Friday!

How has your week been?

My week has comprised of highs and lows which is 

probably quite normal in everyone's week.

Highs:  Crochet, calligraphy and doors!

Crochet - 

I received my very first commission!

I've been asked to make a mustard throw for a grey guest bedroom.

The pattern has cable sections that actually looks like 

knitting but it is US crochet.

I think I may have bitten off quite a bit here so I'll be 

watching a lot of YouTube videos.

And look at the size of that hook - 10mm - it's big!

In between I've been working on my Mushroom Dune Blanket,

I know this pattern off by heart now so it is handy to 

take anywhere.  If you like crochet then be sure to follow me on Instagram,

I post a lot of crochet there! 

Calligraphy -

As mentioned, I started the Blink Lettering Better Brush Drills,

a freebie course for 7 days.

Really good - the course, not my calligraphy skills! 

Cor it takes some practice. I'm determined to do it but it may take

some time (and practice).

Doors -

Is it possible to get excited about new interior doors?

In my world the answer is yes! 

Especially if you've been waiting 19 years for them, yes 19 years!

When I moved into my little VT (Victorian Terrace)

we temporarily put some second hand doors on the bedrooms and 

bathroom with the intention of putting handles/locks on.

It never happened - typically of these things it got pushed down

the list of things to do.  Finally this week I had new interior 

doors fitted with actual handles - we all just stood and stared for a while! 

Lows: Poorly Mum!

As I'm writing this my mum is still in hospital,

we are keeping fingers and toes crossed that she will be home

at the weekend (especially as it is my Dad's birthday).

She's been on a lot of antibiotics in the hope that she does not need

surgery and it may just be doing the trick.

All the family have been going to and fro the hospital 

except Bella and she misses her.

So what's ahead for the weekend...

Can you believe I'm still sorting the cabin?

I'm probably not being as speedy as I could be, I'm enjoying discovering

forgotten crafty items and having a little play.

Talking of discovering there is plenty of pre-loved dies popping up 

on the website daily, so if you are after some elusive designs at 

bargain prices be sure to take a peek here.

Another week wrapped up and fingers crossed for 

more 'highs' next week - the legal safe ones! 

Take care friends, have a lovely weekend 

and thank you for stopping by.

Friday Chat Day

Hello friends

Hope my post finds you all well and looking forward to the weekend.

Friday again and I'm looking back on a very mixed week.

How did it get to be August so quickly?

Last weekend found me visiting my good friend Carole Matthews

in Costa del Keynes as she refers to it.

It was a fabulous weekend filled with crochet, craft, cocktails

and Netflix - I think that ticks so many of my boxes.

Carole is way ahead of me when it comes to crochet so I'm learning

quite a few things which is very handy.

I also finished my Ice Cream Blanket.

This is the Dune Blanket pattern in Paintbox Yarns.

Very pleased with this one and it's going to a lovely home,

my friend's grand baby Polly is having this one.

 

And because right now I'm dabbling in other crafts 

I decided to apply for an Ambassador role with Blink Lettering and 

blow me down I got it! 

I am a total newbie to this, if you fancy having a go check out

all the details and Blink Lettering blog here.

There's a freebie course happening at the moment that you 

can join, you just print off the sheets each day.

Home news:

Elliott has started an apprenticeship with a computer company,

it is now week 2 and he's getting on well.

It is fairly local to us and they seem very easy going, in fact entirely

normal to run out of the office with your phone and play Pokemon Go! 

My lovely Mum is poorly at the moment and in hospital.

Fingers crossed no surgery is needed but she's lost a lot of weight

so they are going to try and build her up a bit. 

We are tempting her with all things calorific!

I will have a blog post going up on the Scrapbook Adhesives blog 

tomorrow which I will share across social media,

it's not a card! 

So I think that wraps up the latest news,

wishing you all a great weekend and thank you for stopping by.

Take care friends.